Examining Your Uterine Fibroids: A Quick Guide on the 4 Types of Tumors
Not all uterine fibroids will exhibit symptoms and not all of them will have the same symptoms. How they make their presence known depends on the type of tumors you have. Locating and identifying the type of fibroids you have is necessary if you are to get the most effective medical advice and treatment. There are also differences in the prognosis of the 4 types of uterine leiomyomas that you need to understand.
Discovering Your Fibroids
The most common ways through which fibroids are discovered are through pelvic examinations and imaging tests usually done for some other health concern. Some tumors are not even discoverable through these methods. But, it also usually means that they are not big enough or numerous enough to cause you any trouble.
Your fibroids will be diagnosed and classified based on location. The most common growths are those that are found between the uterine layers and those that grow outside the uterine wall.
Here’s a quick rundown of the 4 types of fibroids and what to expect if you have them:
- Intramural – these tumors are found in between the lining and the wall of the uterus. These are generally asymptomatic. They could, however, distort the uterine cavity when they grow larger and consequently affect pregnancy and child-birth. Among the most commonly diagnosed fibroids are intramural tumors.
- Subserosal – like intramural fibroids, these tumors are also common. They are found on the outer uterine wall and usually affect the surrounding organs as they grow outward. They can press onto the bladder and the rectum, causing problems with the excretory and urinary systems. They could also develop stems and become pedunculated subserosal fibroids.
- Submucosal – these fibroids are found directly under the endometrium. These are the ones that are known to cause heavy bleeding. Like intramural fibroids, submucosal fibroids can change the size and shape of the uterus. As they are found inside the womb, they are the ones that could affect the patient’s infertility.
- Pedunculated – these are tumors that grow on stems, usually outside the uterine wall. Submucosal fibroids, however, are also occasionally found to become pedunculated and prolapse through the cervix. Pedunculated fibroids are painful when they undergo torsion or when they twist and ‘die.’
Comparing and Treating Fibroids
The most common fibroids growths are intramural and subserosal fibroids, but the most worrisome perhaps are submucosal fibroids. This is because the heavy bleeding and infertility could drastically affect the quality of life of a patient.
In extreme cases of bleeding due to fibroids, patients had to stay home on their heaviest days. The symptoms snowball into weakness, lightheadedness, and nausea. Eventually, the patient could lose too much blood and suffer from severe anemia.
Pedunculated fibroids, on the other hand, could cause sudden and intense pain. This happens when their stems become twisted and the blood supply to the tumors is cut off. The treatment options range from simple pain management for mild pain and discomfort to uterine fibroid embolization and myomectomy to get rid of the fibroids.
For all these 4 types of uterine fibroids, the treatment options are varied and presented on a case to case basis. In most cases, the severity of symptoms and the patient’s fertility goals weigh heavily on the final treatment decision.
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